Dance History Front and Center

This weekend in the Rollins Studio at the Long Center you can see some of the most influential early modern dance works brought back to life. ACC dance faculty Jessica Lindberg Coxe is in the midst of it all with her breathtaking Loie Fuller reconstructions. 

Jessica during tech for Fuller's Lily of the Nile

Jessica first became interested in Fuller as an undergraduate at Southern Methodist University. Her dance history teacher briefly mentioned an actress turned dancer who changed theater history and influenced modern pioneers like Isadora Duncan. Frustrated that so little was known about such a major influence, Jessica found a passion she enjoys to this day. "Basically nothing existed and I wanted to see what inspired so many artists of all kinds," Jessica said. 

Fuller's Lily was originally performed in 1896. 

Her first reconstruction was Loie Fuller's Fire Dance at Ohio State University while completing her MFA in Dance Notation, Reconstruction and and Directing from Score. "I never chose the path of reconstruction. I always thought I would be a dancer and dance the works of Loie Fuller. Basically, it's her teaching me. She was giving me this material to work with and I breathed life into it," Jessica said. 

Dancestry is your chance to see Fuller's work; an opportunity no one had before Jessica was inspired in a dance history class as an undergrad. "Anytime you get to see something people saw over a 100 years ago, you learn something about yourself, about art form and about aesthetics. These pieces spoke to people 100 years ago and they still resonate today." 

The lighting for Fuller's pieces are reconstructed by Megan Slayter. 

Dancestry also showcases work by early modern pioneers Isadora Duncan and Erick Hawkins. If you ever wanted a chance to see dance history come alive, check out the show this weekend. There are also several former ACC students performing as well as working backstage. So come support your fellow dance mates and help these dance legacies live on!

Dancestry runs May 22 - 23 at the Long Center Rollins Studio. Tickets available online.



Photography by Anne Wharton.

Let it go to let it happen

Tonight is your last chance to see ACC dancers in action on the Mainstage at the Rio Grande Campus. The Choreographers' Showcase starts at 8 pm and features student and faculty work.

Hien Nguyen has presented several works as a student at ACC. Tonight will be the third time her choreography shines onstage.

Hien Nguyen, Nico Locke, Alyssa Canas, Ogaga Anuta

Hien's inspiration for her piece, Juxt A Position, came from several quotes including "life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated" by Confucious. Her concept revolved around processing information, sifting through memories, and the constant back-and-forth of remembering.

How did you start putting your thoughts in movement?

It started with case studies in class during the semester, but it became a ting of its own. It just grew on its own. 

Alyssa Canas, Hien Nguyen, Nico Locke

There's a very architectural component to your piece with the shapes you make. How did you come up with the structure?

I had the inspiration before the semester started - I wasn't sure if it would stay through the semester but it did anyway. I worked with the case study and the movement; putting the idea and the phrases together was a challenge. I focused on the question "how does the brain process information?" So a lot of simple movement was repeated and retrograded; really working the movement characteristics. We repeated things over and over through different space and traveling.

What was one of the challenges you had to overcome in making this piece?

I have a bad case of control freak - I really wanted to listen to what my piece wanted to say. I had to listen and let it develop on its own versus "I want this, this, and that."

Full cast during dress rehearsal

What is a difference between your process for this piece and when you first started choreographing at ACC?

I had to let go of the uncontrollable; accepting it. I just went with things I hadn't intended. I didn't think of the diagonals in the beginning but it was like, "huh, ok!" I'm really happy with it in the end.

What's the one thing you want the audience to get from your piece?

That we are a community. Everyone's actions link to the next person in line.

Grab you ticket at the door tonight: $5 for students and seniors and $10 for general admission. For more information, visit our Facebook.

Photography by Anne Wharton. 

MEET ALYSSA

Our show opens tonight at 8 pm on the Mainstage at the Rio Grande Campus! Faculty works as well as student choreography will be presented in the Choreographers' Showcase.

Alyssa Cañas is choreographing for the ACC showcase for the very first time. Originally from Victoria, TX, Alyssa followed her family to Austin. She is currently pursuing her Associate of Arts in Dance and plans to transfer to a four-year university for a dance degree.

Alyssa supporting Dawn Roberts in a lift during dress rehearsal.

Have you choreographed before ACC?

I did some choreography for drill team but this is very different. I'm used to tricks and dance moves and Darla challenged me to really use movement. It was a good experience.

Did you have a concept for your piece?

Yeah, I kept going back to the journey that we have. People go through their lives and have all these moments and memories. Those moments become great memories and years later you finally look back... The piece is really about how fast life goes; so many people don't take the time to appreciate life. 

Alyssa during Only the Winds

You use a quote from American Beauty to describe your piece, how did you discover the quote?

Darla gave us an article (from the New York Times) about three weeks ago and I shared it with my sister. She wrote the quote on the article and I ended up sharing that with the class. 

How did you decide to do a duet?

Originally it was a trio, but you know, things happen. I actually always imagined it as a duet, but Darla wanted to challenge me to try it as a trio and then it turned out as a duet anyway.

Me and Dawn are individuals that go through life and meet in the middle. We could be best friends or complete strangers, but it's memorable. When you meet someone, you never forget them.

Dawn Roberts in Alyssa's Only the Winds

If you had one thing for the audience to takeaway, what would it be?

Realize how fast life is and take the time to breathe - appreciate life. 

Alyssa Cañas is one of seven students from Darla Johnson's Dance Composition class presenting new work at the Choreographers' Showcase. Join us tonight and tomorrow at 8 pm on the Mainstage at the Rio Grande Campus. Tickets available at the door; $5 for students and seniors and $10 for general admission. 

Photography by Anne Wharton.

ALL ABOUT DUETS

It's showtime! We had a great dress rehearsal tonight and we open tomorrow night, May 8, at 8 pm on the Mainstage at the Rio Grande Campus.

Darla Johnson is premiering a work with her Dance Workshop class in the Choreographers' Showcase that revolves around the formation of numerous duets. The ensemble piece also features a video by our fantastic lighting designer, Megan Reilly.

Armando Delgado and Nedda Tehrany in rehearsal for Two, and

What was your process like for creating Two, and?

I started with a series of duets; creating movement phrases and structures that the students then manipulated. I put everyone into pairs and we tried a number of different pairings.

I knew I wanted a video in the piece. The idea was to frame the duets with different images. It was a way of creating contrast using the ideas of grace and effort to frame the work.

What was the inspiration behind the video images?

I wanted the duets framed with different natural images. The idea really was grace and effort and how that's reflected, or could be reflected, in nature. 

What was your logic for grouping the students into duets?

Well, there are actually a lot more pairings than you'll see onstage. But it was about wanting to find the energy and flow. And I wanted to get everyone onstage as much as I could.There are three men in the work so there's somewhat of a natural female/male relationship. But it's not about romance. It's about connectivity; how we create shape, tension and flow.

What would you want your audience to takeaway from Two, and?

Just the idea of how two people can interact.

Lauren Lym and Marilyn Connelly in rehearsal for Two, and

For more information about the show, visit our Facebook. The show runs Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9, and 8 pm on the Mainstage at the Rio Grande Campus. Tickets are available at the door; $5 for students and seniors and $10 for general admission.

Photography by Anne Wharton.

Dancing through loss

The dance department is almost ready for show weekend! Darla Johnson and Catherine Solaas will each be presenting a faculty work along with student choreography from Darla’s Dance Composition class in the Spring 2015 Choreographers’ Showcase. 

Lindsey Gerson is one of our veteran student choreographers. If you’ve seen any of the ACC showcases over the last few semesters, you’ve seen Lindsey’s gorgeous performance quality grace the stage and her intriguing choreography inspire fellow dancers.

LaTiya Smith during Lindsey's tech

Dealing with the recent loss of her grandmother, Lindsey decided to set a solo on fellow classmate, LaTiya Smith, focusing on the struggle of finding beauty when a loved one has Alzheimer’s. During the semester, LaTiya’s sister passed away unexpectedly. The choreographer and dancer ended up joining together to create a dance in the midst of losing loved ones.

“It’s not supposed to be a heavy piece,” Lindsey explained. “It’s about embracing the raw beauty. And asking if this can be beautiful? Can you be yourself when you can’t remember anyone?”

The movement for the piece, Least We Forget, came from class exercises as well as filmed improvisations. “I filmed us during improvisations to different music, some happy and not happy songs. We improvised without music too, just moving from what we were feeling. And some days we were really upset. I was dealing with being angry and frustrated,” Lindsey said.

LaTiya Smith in Least We Forget

Least We Forget naturally became an outlet for both dancers. “I think it really did help us deal with it. Anyone in the audience who has experienced this kind of forgetfulness or this kind of loss will get the piece. I wanted to make it something beautiful, like their lives. I didn’t want it about how ugly their deaths were. It’s about the seeing the beautiful parts, seeing the beautiful parts when you do remember.”

The Choreographers’ Showcase is Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9, at 8 pm on the Mainstage at the Rio Grande Campus. Tickets are available at the door: $5 for students and seniors, $10 for general admission.

For more information, visit our Facebook. 

Photography by Anne Wharton.